Old Police Headquarters, Gefängnis in den Vereinigten Staaten
The Old Police Headquarters is a building in San Diego that served as the main police station from 1939 to 1987. The complex contains five main sections: a garage, gymnasium and assembly area, courtrooms, a jail facility with capacity for about 274 prisoners, and a public entrance area with a distinctive tower.
The building was constructed in 1938 and opened in 1939 with funding from Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs. The police moved out in 1987 to a new location, leaving the building vacant for years until it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 and saved from demolition in 2013.
The building served as a gathering place for police officers and symbolized the city's commitment to safety and order. Its Spanish Colonial design with the prominent watch tower and central fountain courtyard reflected the character of San Diego during its mid-twentieth-century growth.
The building sits near Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway and is easily accessible in an active area of the city. Best to visit during daytime hours to view the exterior architecture and the central courtyard with the fountain.
The building was one of the first police stations in the US to receive historic preservation status, ranking as only the twenty-fifth police building in the country to be listed. This early recognition shows how San Diego valued preserving its institutional history compared to other cities.
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